Statement on security concerns for Saturday commencement

In recent days, we have learned of vague postings on the internet threatening violence on the UC Berkeley campus on Saturday, December 15. The threat is not specific with regard to the type of violence or the target. We do not know if these threats are related to recent reports of similar threats received across the country in the past few days.

Winter Commencement is one of the campus events scheduled for that date. Our law enforcement professionals are in close consultation with allied agencies, and at this point they do not believe there is cause or reason to cancel the event. If, at any point, that assessment changes and expert analysis indicates that cancellation is necessary, we will promptly take the required steps and inform attendees and the public.

Doors for the Winter Commencement ceremony will open at 8 a.m. Guests and graduates should be prepared to enter through metal detectors, which the campus recently decided to use for all events inside Haas Pavilion. We recommend that you not travel with any unnecessary bags or items in order to minimize bag search times and expedite entry. For more information on what items are allowed inside the building, click here.

Those who have questions about the event can contact (888-UNIV-CAL (888-864-8225) or events1@berkeley.edu.

For commencement patrons who would like to request a refund, please email your PDF ticket attachments to ato@berkeley.edu before 8 a.m. on Saturday, December 15. Once the ticket office receives the returned tickets, the barcodes will be voided and the credit card used to make the purchase will be refunded. The refund process usually takes four to six business days before the credit appears on your bank statement.

This video explains the security rules and process for events in Haas Pavilion. (UC Berkeley video by Cal Athletics)